The Butterflies are Back!
Starting Saturday, September 5, the Butterfly Conservatory returns to the American Museum of Natural History. Now in its 18th year, this unique opportunity to enter an enclosed environment, or vivarium, allows you to mingle with a dazzling array of up to 500 butterflies. Entry is timed, but once you are in the exhibit you are free to stay as long as you like.
An Owl Butterfly lights on a staff member’s hand.
Hovering among the flowers.
Also available at the museum (and elsewhere) is a beautiful new volume, The Butterflies of North America: Titian’s Peale’s Lost Manuscript, published by the AMNH in association with Abrams Books. Those familiar with the artistic Peale family–Charles Wilson Peale was famous for his portraits of George Washington–may be surprised to learn that several family members were also naturalists. Included in this book reflects years of research conducted by the younger Peale, and has been compared by some to the equivalent of John James Audubon’s The BIrds of America.
This previously unpublished book of Peale’s notes and drawings are available to a wide audience for the first time. The artist and naturalist also created a companion volume on caterpillars.
Peale’s drawing and notes on the Red Cracker.
The Butterfly Conservatory will remain open through Monday, May 29, 2016.